Firstly, you must ensure that you own the appropriate equipment. You don’t want anything extravagant, but you will require a charcoal barbecue of full size, such as the Weber Kettle barbecue. The 22″ grate is required to provide the long ribs some distance from the burning coals.
I also suggest getting a chimney starter while you’re there. This is the simplest method to ignite charcoal and obtain a precise quantity, ensuring consistent grilling on every occasion.
How to Prepare Barbecue Ribs
I enjoy utilizing hardwood lump charcoal for intense heat situations like searing grilled steaks or burgers, but it is not as effective for slow-cooking ribs over an extended duration. Instead, I like using regular Kingsford Original Briquettes. They possess a milder temperature and a lengthier, more uniform combustion. Great for preparing ribs!
How Can You Achieve Tender Ribs When Grilling
The key to achieving delicate ribs on the grill is grilling them slowly at a low temperature. Lower cooking temperatures enable the collagen in the tough meat to gradually decompose and dissolve throughout the extended cooking period. If your ribs are firm, they just need to be cooked for a longer time, provided that you have been cooking them at the correct temperature.
What is the Ideal Cooking Temperature for Ribs
I suggest preparing ribs at a temperature range of 225 – 250 degrees. This is at a low enough temperature to make the ribs incredibly soft and delicious, without overcooking or charring them on the grill. Increased cooking temperatures can potentially cause the meat to become dry before it reaches the desired level of tenderness.
How to Prepare Ribs on a Charcoal Grill
Alright, we have the correct grill. We possess the appropriate charcoal and are aware of the optimal temperature for cooking the ribs. Now we simply need to assemble everything and prepare our grill.
Place an equal amount of briquettes in a charcoal chimney and ignite a small number of them. After igniting, pour the charcoal onto one side of the grill. Position the grate on the grill and place a pan of water on the grate over the coals (a disposable foil pan is suitable). This will assist in mitigating temperature changes and increasing moisture in the cooking area. The ribs will be placed on the grates farthest from the charcoal.
Keep the air vents mostly closed and hang a temperature probe over the cooking surface to monitor the heat and maintain the appropriate temperature. During the cooking process, you have the option to add an additional half chimney of briquettes to the grill in order to maintain the temperature.
3-2-1 Reinforced Interlocking Block Method
I suggest using the 3-2-1 Ribs Method to cook ribs on a smoker or on the grill. What is the 3-2-1 Ribs Technique? Firstly, it is specially made for spareribs and relates to the duration of cooking. 3 hours cooking, 2 hours covered in foil, and then 1 hour uncovered. By using this technique, you may achieve consistently tender ribs!
If you are using Baby Back Ribs, you can follow the same procedure but adjust the timing to 2-2-1. Baby Back Ribs are less fatty, therefore they require less time to become sensitive.
Troubleshooting Suggestion: If you are struggling to keep the temperature low, try reducing the initial cooking time and wrapping them in foil to make it easier. Otherwise, there is a possibility that the increased warmth will cause the meat to become dry.
How to Prepare Barbecue Ribs
If you desire to cook BBQ Ribs, and who wouldn’t? All you need is a BBQ dry rub for ribs and/or your preferred homemade BBQ sauce. I like to use both, but you can use either one depending on what you want.
Coat the ribs well with the dry rub before grilling, this can even be done the day before if preferred. The barbecue sauce will be added to the ribs in the last hour of cooking. The heat from the grill will change the BBQ sauce into a delicious sticky spread sticking to the meat! You can even prepare delicious BBQ ribs in the oven when it’s not grilling season!
Do ribs typically get tender enough to easily separate from the bone?
Please, absolutely not! Rib meat should not easily detach from the bone. Ribs that easily separate from the bone are just ribs that have been cooked for too long. This expression was coined by subpar eateries whose ribs disintegrate during the unusually lengthy period of time before they are served. Any skilled barbecue chef strives for the meat to have the tenderness of a high-quality steak.
The meat should easily separate from the bones when pulled, but it should never detach from the bone by itself. Rib meat that easily separates from the bone will be soft, lacking substance.
What to Serve Alongside Ribs
If you are making the effort to cook ribs on a charcoal grill, you definitely need some equally delicious side dishes to go with them! One idea is to prepare grilled corn on the cob on the available area of the grill, make a large portion of homemade baked beans, and some delicious homemade coleslaw! That is the ideal outdoor gathering!
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